(Eagle News) — Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday, July 24, speculated Pantaleon Alvarez was ousted as Speaker because he was pushing for a postponement of next year’s elections to allow for Charter Change.
“Even the President had problems with the call of the House Speaker on no elections. And I noticed that the President was visibly concerned about the pronouncements of the Speaker,” Roque said.
According to Roque, the President believes federalism “should be accepted by the people on its own merits and he has always said that he did not want to benefit from Charter change.”
He added, however, that the executive does not interfere in House affairs.
Former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took her oath as the new Speaker after an informal voting of House members prior to Duterte’s State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 23.
It was, however, Alvarez who sat beside Duterte during the SONA, something that was reserved for the Speaker.
After Duterte’s SONA, several members of the House stayed on for a special session to again install Arroyo at the helm of the House.
Of the 238 House members present, 184 voted for her while 12 abstained.